diff --git a/src/__tests__/casperjs/locale_header_test.js b/src/__tests__/casperjs/locale_header_test.js
index f2471c34..8d73d937 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/casperjs/locale_header_test.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/casperjs/locale_header_test.js
@@ -1,9 +1,22 @@
-//var LocaleStore = require('../../js/stores/LocaleStore');
 var CasperUtils = require('./casperUtils').CasperUtils;
 
-var intl = require('../../js/intl/index.js');
+var langLocaleMap = {
+  en: 'en_US',
+  zh: 'zh_CN',
+  ja: 'ja',
+  ko: 'ko',
+  es: 'es_AR',
+  fr: 'fr_FR',
+  de: 'de_DE',
+  pt: 'pt_BR'
+};
 
-var langLocaleMap = intl.langLocaleMap;
+/*
+var headerLocaleMap = {
+  'zh-CN': 'zh_CN',
+  'zh-TW': 'zh_TW',
+  'pt-BR': 'pt_BR'
+  };*/
 
 casper.start(
   CasperUtils.getUrl(),
@@ -18,16 +31,6 @@ casper.start(
 
       Object.keys(langLocaleMap).forEach(function(lang) {
         var locale = langLocaleMap[lang];
-        this.test.assertEvalEquals(function(lang) {
-          debug_App_changeLocaleFromHeaders(lang);
-          return debug_Intl_getLocale();
-        },
-          locale,
-          'Testing changing the locale from ' + lang + 
-              ' to ' + locale,
-          { lang: lang }
-        );
-
         this.test.assertEvalEquals(function(lang) {
           debug_LocaleActions_changeLocaleFromHeader(lang);
           return debug_LocaleStore_getLocale();
diff --git a/src/js/__tests__/LocaleStore.spec.js b/src/js/__tests__/LocaleStore.spec.js
index 99dbba9e..cf7dc591 100644
--- a/src/js/__tests__/LocaleStore.spec.js
+++ b/src/js/__tests__/LocaleStore.spec.js
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ var ActionTypes = AppConstants.ActionTypes;
 
 describe('LocaleStore', function() {
 
+  it('has default locale', function() {
+    expect(LocaleStore.getLocale())
+      .toEqual(LocaleStore.getDefaultLocale());
+  });
+
   it('changes locales', function() {
     expect(LocaleStore.getLocale()).toEqual('en_US');
     LocaleActions.changeLocale('ja_JP');
diff --git a/src/js/app/index.js b/src/js/app/index.js
index 5ae470b8..23559c5a 100644
--- a/src/js/app/index.js
+++ b/src/js/app/index.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 var _ = require('underscore');
 var Backbone = require('backbone');
 
-var constants = require('../util/constants');
 var util = require('../util');
 var intl = require('../intl');
-var GlobalState = require('../util/globalState');
 var LocaleStore = require('../stores/LocaleStore');
 var LocaleActions = require('../actions/LocaleActions');
 
@@ -31,7 +29,6 @@ var init = function() {
     *   - handling window.focus and zoom events
   **/
   var Sandbox = require('../sandbox/').Sandbox;
-  var Level = require('../level').Level;
   var EventBaton = require('../util/eventBaton').EventBaton;
   var LevelArbiter = require('../level/arbiter').LevelArbiter;
   var LevelDropdownView = require('../views/levelDropdownView').LevelDropdownView;
@@ -45,7 +42,6 @@ var init = function() {
   });
 
   LocaleStore.subscribe(intlRefresh);
-  events.on('localeChanged', intlRefresh);
   events.on('vcsModeChange', vcsModeRefresh);
 
   initRootEvents(eventBaton);
@@ -221,8 +217,7 @@ var initDemo = function(sandbox) {
   }
 
   if (params.locale !== undefined && params.locale.length) {
-    GlobalState.locale = params.locale;
-    events.trigger('localeChanged');
+    LocaleActions.changeLocale(params.locale);
   } else {
     tryLocaleDetect();
   }
@@ -255,8 +250,6 @@ function tryLocaleDetect() {
 
 function changeLocaleFromHeaders(langString) {
   LocaleActions.changeLocaleFromHeader(langString);
-  GlobalState.locale = LocaleStore.getLocale();
-  events.trigger('localeChanged');
 }
 
 if (require('../util').isBrowser()) {
@@ -292,8 +285,6 @@ function CommandUI() {
   });
 }
 
-exports.changeLocaleFromHeaders = changeLocaleFromHeaders;
-
 exports.getEvents = function() {
   return events;
 };
diff --git a/src/js/intl/index.js b/src/js/intl/index.js
index eec8a5c1..ddc17f72 100644
--- a/src/js/intl/index.js
+++ b/src/js/intl/index.js
@@ -1,44 +1,14 @@
-var _ = require('underscore');
-var constants = require('../util/constants');
-var util = require('../util');
-var GlobalState = require('../util/globalState');
+var LocaleStore = require('../stores/LocaleStore');
 
+var _ = require('underscore');
 var strings = require('../intl/strings').strings;
 
-var getDefaultLocale = exports.getDefaultLocale = function() {
-  return 'en_US';
-};
-
-var headerLocaleMap = exports.headerLocaleMap = {
-  'zh-CN': 'zh_CN',
-  'zh-TW': 'zh_TW',
-  'pt-BR': 'pt_BR',
-};
-
-// resolve the messy mapping between browser language
-// and our supported locales
-var langLocaleMap = exports.langLocaleMap = {
-  en: 'en_US',
-  zh: 'zh_CN',
-  ja: 'ja',
-  ko: 'ko',
-  es: 'es_AR',
-  fr: 'fr_FR',
-  de: 'de_DE',
-  pt: 'pt_BR'
-};
+var getDefaultLocale = LocaleStore.getDefaultLocale;
 
 var fallbackMap = {
   'zh_TW': 'zh_CN'
 };
 
-var getLocale = exports.getLocale = function() {
-  if (GlobalState.locale) {
-    return GlobalState.locale;
-  }
-  return getDefaultLocale();
-};
-
 // lets change underscores template settings so it interpolates
 // things like "{branchName} does not exist".
 var templateSettings = _.clone(_.templateSettings);
@@ -61,7 +31,7 @@ var str = exports.str = function(key, params) {
   // 'You can not delete the branch bugFix because you are currently on that branch!
   //  This is error number 3'
 
-  var locale = getLocale();
+  var locale = LocaleStore.getLocale();
   if (!strings[key]) {
     console.warn('NO INTL support for key ' + key);
     return 'NO INTL support for key ' + key;
@@ -98,7 +68,7 @@ var getIntlKey = exports.getIntlKey = function(obj, key) {
     );
   }
 
-  return obj[key][getLocale()];
+  return obj[key][LocaleStore.getLocale()];
 };
 
 exports.todo = function(str) {
@@ -106,8 +76,7 @@ exports.todo = function(str) {
 };
 
 exports.getDialog = function(obj) {
-  var defaultLocale = getDefaultLocale();
-  return getIntlKey(obj, 'dialog') || obj.dialog[defaultLocale];
+  return getIntlKey(obj, 'dialog') || obj.dialog[getDefaultLocale()];
 };
 
 exports.getHint = function(level) {
diff --git a/src/js/level/builder.js b/src/js/level/builder.js
index 9a9027aa..febb847d 100644
--- a/src/js/level/builder.js
+++ b/src/js/level/builder.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ var Errors = require('../util/errors');
 var Visualization = require('../visuals/visualization').Visualization;
 var ParseWaterfall = require('../level/parseWaterfall').ParseWaterfall;
 var Level = require('../level').Level;
+var LocaleStore = require('../stores/LocaleStore');
 
 var Command = require('../models/commandModel').Command;
 var GitShim = require('../git/gitShim').GitShim;
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ var LevelBuilder = Level.extend({
     options = options || {};
     options.level = {};
 
-    var locale = intl.getLocale();
+    var locale = LocaleStore.getLocale();
     options.level.startDialog = {};
     options.level.startDialog[locale] = {
       childViews: intl.getDialog(require('../dialogs/levelBuilder'))
diff --git a/src/js/sandbox/commands.js b/src/js/sandbox/commands.js
index b7dd9978..41eb183f 100644
--- a/src/js/sandbox/commands.js
+++ b/src/js/sandbox/commands.js
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ var intl = require('../intl');
 var Commands = require('../commands');
 var Errors = require('../util/errors');
 var CommandProcessError = Errors.CommandProcessError;
+var LocaleStore = require('../stores/LocaleStore');
+var LocaleActions = require('../actions/LocaleActions');
 var GitError = Errors.GitError;
 var Warning = Errors.Warning;
 var CommandResult = Errors.CommandResult;
@@ -24,13 +26,14 @@ var instantCommands = [
     });
   }],
   [/^(locale|locale reset)$/, function(bits) {
-    GlobalState.locale = intl.getDefaultLocale();
-    var Main = require('../app').getEvents().trigger('localeChanged');
+    LocaleActions.changeLocale(
+      LocaleStore.getDefaultLocale()
+    );
 
     throw new CommandResult({
       msg: intl.str(
         'locale-reset-command',
-        { locale: intl.getDefaultLocale() }
+        { locale: LocaleStore.getDefaultLocale() }
       )
     });
   }],
@@ -48,9 +51,7 @@ var instantCommands = [
     });
   }],
   [/^locale (\w+)$/, function(bits) {
-    GlobalState.locale = bits[1];
-
-    var Main = require('../app').getEvents().trigger('localeChanged');
+    LocaleActions.changeLocale(bits[1]);
     throw new CommandResult({
       msg: intl.str(
         'locale-command',
diff --git a/src/js/stores/LocaleStore.js b/src/js/stores/LocaleStore.js
index 3b638284..be768599 100644
--- a/src/js/stores/LocaleStore.js
+++ b/src/js/stores/LocaleStore.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ var assign = require('object-assign');
 
 var ActionTypes = AppConstants.ActionTypes;
 var CHANGE_EVENT = 'change';
+var DEFAULT_LOCALE = 'en_US';
 
 // resolve the messy mapping between browser language
 // and our supported locales
@@ -48,9 +49,13 @@ function _getLocaleFromHeader(langString) {
   return desiredLocale;
 }
 
-var _locale = 'en_US';
+var _locale = DEFAULT_LOCALE;
 var LocaleStore = assign({}, EventEmitter.prototype, {
 
+  getDefaultLocale: function() {
+    return DEFAULT_LOCALE;
+  },
+
   getLangLocaleMap: function() {
     return assign({}, langLocaleMap);
   },
diff --git a/src/js/views/levelDropdownView.js b/src/js/views/levelDropdownView.js
index cabe084f..d19004fc 100644
--- a/src/js/views/levelDropdownView.js
+++ b/src/js/views/levelDropdownView.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ var _ = require('underscore');
 var Q = require('q');
 // horrible hack to get localStorage Backbone plugin
 var Backbone = (!require('../util').isBrowser()) ? require('backbone') : window.Backbone;
+var LocaleStore = require('../stores/LocaleStore');
 
 var util = require('../util');
 var intl = require('../intl');
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ var LevelDropdownView = ContainedBase.extend({
     this.render();
 
     Main.getEvents().on('resetMapSolved', this.render, this);
-    Main.getEvents().on('localeChanged', this.render, this);
+    LocaleStore.subscribe(this.render.bind(this));
 
     if (!options.wait) {
       this.show();